Chapter 23: Qi Yuan Who Delights in Helping Demons

With a ladder on her back, Aunt Qin bent over and tried doing push-ups. She couldn't feel anything when her palms touched the muddy ground.

Maybe it's just nonsense...?

Then she began her push-ups. The sight of a well-dressed lady in fine silks doing them was jarring, and Aunt Qin finished one in less than a breath's time.

Unable to feel any flow of cultivation and true qi, she smiled helplessly.

Without those, how could one possibly grow stronger?

However, in the very next moment, an unusual transformation swept through her.

Jin Li hurriedly asked, "Aunt Qin, how do you feel?"

Aunt Qin was stunned. "I feel as if my strength has somewhat increased..."

"What?!" everyone exclaimed in shock.

Could it really be that exercise made one stronger?

Hua Xian also asked, "How much is 'somewhat'?"

She was concerned that Aunt Qin was deliberately being vague to avoid embarrassing the empress.

"Just one push-up is equivalent to doing half an hour of cultivation," Aunt Qin replied sincerely.

"What?!" everyone was dumbfounded.

Isn't she overexaggerating?!

Hua Xian calculated and was shocked. "Doesn't that mean around ten thousand push-ups is equal to an entire year of cultivation?!"

The crowd was utterly shocked. "If this holds true, then training here for a single day is equivalent to a decade outside?"

Doing push-ups could increase one's cultivation?

What kind of logic is this? How could this be true?

Absolutely incomprehensible! It's like saying someone eating a meal, drinking water, or passing gas could lead to a breakthrough in cultivation!

Everyone was shocked and couldn't comprehend the situation, but they still exercised. Thus, the thirty confidants, ladders on their backs, began their exercises. All of them were cultivators with immense strength and incredible speed. They did their push-ups so quickly it looked as if they'd take flight. What an astonishing sight it was!

If the people from Blue Planet could see this, they would definitely exclaim, "Awesome!"

And if if a video was uploaded, the comments would be:

"Not a big deal."

"I could do that too!"

"Well, my friend can..."

After all, the comment sections were always so full of geniuses and experts.

Everyone was extremely surprised as they frantically did push-ups, sharing their experiences.

"I... I've broken through!"

"The bottleneck that trapped me for 3 years has shattered!"

"Push-ups are greatly beneficial for breaking bottlenecks!"

In just half an hour, three people had already broken through, with two advancing by a minor realm, and one by a major realm. Naturally, they didn't stop at push-ups.

"Quick, try other exercises!"

Doing pull-ups with a ladder on the back was difficult, but still feasible. Pull-ups could also increase cultivation, but the focus of the improvement was slightly different. Some chose pull-ups, while others continued with push-ups.

"What about sit-ups? How do we do it with a ladder on our backs?"

"It doesn't have to be on your back, you can hook it to your feet!"

"Hold the ladder upright with your feet, then do sit-ups!"

Everyone carefully tried and to their surprise, it worked! Sit-ups could also speed up their cultivation. Several even secured the ladder horizontally using their feet. As cultivators, they could easily execute all positions that even professional dancers had difficulties with. On the field, people continued exercising intensely—push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups.

Jin Li glanced at Aunt Qin. "Aunt Qin, how are you feeling?"

Aunt Qin's complexion was rosy, and her cultivation more profound. She continued exercising. "I feel divine! Even Peak Emperor realm cultivators may not possess such a method. Your Majesty's friend is truly a worldly transcendent."

Thinking of Qi Yuan, Jin Li's expression grew complicated. She felt a strong sense of inferiority. Regardless, given her current plight, she had no time to side-track.

"Aunt Qin, how long will it take you to break through to the Emperor realm from here?" she asked.

Reaching the Emperor realm was the only way to secure total victory in the duel a few days later.

"I'll surely reach the Emperor realm in two days!" Aunt Qin declared confidently.

After all, she was already at the late stage of King realm. Since increasing cultivation was as easy as drinking water here, breaking through wasn't an issue at all!

Emperor realm!

Aunt Qin was extremely excited.

Jin Li was relieved by Aunt Qin's assurance. As she looked at the others, she recalled something and said softly, "There's one matter I forgot to share. Here in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone, exercising to improve cultivation has certain side effects."

The crowd's joy was short-lived. Indeed, that made sense. Gaining so much cultivation without any side effects would be far too unreasonable.

Pausing their exercise, they cried in unison, as if ready to embrace death, "We are willing to die for Your Majesty!"

They were convinced that such an extraordinary cultivation method must exact a heavy price.

Aunt Qin said solemnly, "For Your Majesty, I will die without regrets!"

Jin Li was both moved and amused. "The side effects aren't that terrifying. No one will die."

The crowd felt relieved.

"May I ask... what side effect?" asked Hua Xian slowly.

"Growing stronger may result in hair loss."

The crowd was stunned.

"Hair loss?"

"Just hair loss?"

"That's it?"

Losing some hair to gain so much strength... The trade off was too insignificant! In fact, the people of the Southern Qian Empire would willingly castrate themselves to practice evil arts. Compared to that, losing some hair really wasn't an issue at all!

A lady who'd just broken through a major realm smiled. "I was puzzled when I lost more than ten strands of hair when I advanced earlier. So that's why."

To them, losing tens of strands of hair in order to advance to a major realm was nothing. They didn't even mind losing all the hair on their body.

Just then, a bald female imperial guard asked, "I have no hair so what will I lose?"

Everyone stared at each other, unsure how to answer.

***

Time passed swiftly.

Qi Yuan fought the garment monsters once again. After all his hard work, he had reached level 88. Now, he could kill a garment monster in one hit. How unfortunate that these monsters could neither speak nor scream.

Suddenly, his expression twisted. He clutched his stomach in agony and cried out, "So painful, I'm breaking apart!"

At the same time, the garment monsters were blasted into smithereens, and he smiled triumphantly.

"I'm a good person. Since you can't speak, I'll help dub your lines. I'm your voice actor today." He raised his sword and charged into the garment monsters.

"Cranial Split!"

"Don't!"

"Xiaoxiang Sword Rain!"

"It hurts! Divine Dragon Spin!"

"

Aaaah!

"